Thermocompressor



Nov. 4, 1952 J, F, PLUMMER, JR 2,616,614

THERMOCOMPRESSOR Filed March 18, 1948 H I ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 4, 1952 THERMOCOMPRESSOR John F. Plummer, Jr., Phillipsburg, N. J., assignor to Ingersoll-Rand Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 18, 1948, Serial No. 15,682

2 Claims.

This invention relates to thermo-compressors, and more particularly to steam eject-ors of the type which are normally used as the first stage, or first and second stages, of a thermo-compressor comprising a plurality of steam ejectors connected in series, i. e. with each ejector discharging into the succeeding ejector.

In this arrangement at least the first stage ejector will operate at or below the freezing pressure of water and, therefore, any moisture entrained in the propelling steam will freeze and tend to collect on. the surface cf the inlet end portion of the dilusor.

Heretofore, in order to prevent the formation of such ice in the diffusor of an ejector, it has been the practice to Warm the diffusor with a steam or electrical coil. This means, of course,

that an auxiliary or supplementary source of heat is necessary for the efficient operation of the ejector.

In the present invention, the formation of ice in the diiTusor is prevented by utilizing an inherent operating characteristic of the ejector.

Specically, the fluid flowing through the diffusor of an ejector is subject to a temperature rise due to the change in pressure of such fluid. Thus, by utilizing the heat available in fluid discharged from the diffusor to Warm the inlet end portion of said diffusor, it is readily apparent that the ejector will operate efficiently at or below the freezing pressure of water.

It is accordingly one object of my invention to warm the difusor of an ejector with the fluid discharged from the diffusor.

A second object is to convey fluid from the discharge end of a diil'usor into contact with the outer surface of the inlet end portion of the diffuser.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar parts,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal View, in section, of an ejector constructed in accordance with the practice of the invention, and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, of an ejector embodying an alternate construction of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figure l, Il) designates, in general, a steam ejector of the conventional type having a nozzle II mounted on the ejector casing I2 adjacent the inlet I3 for the fluid to be evacuated. Adapted to the inlet I3 is a d iiusor I4 which is,

in this instance, of the converging-diverging type with the converging or .inlet end portion I5 in communication with the inlet I3 and the diverglng portion I6 serving as an outlet for the fluid to be evacuated and the energizing fluid.

Encircling the diffusor I 4 and spaced therefrom is a housing I'I which forms a fluid containing chamber I8 to receive the discharge from the diffusor I4. An opening I9 is provided for the housing I1 at the inlet end of the diiusor so that fluid discharged from the diffusor is brought into intimate contact with the outer surface of the diffuser before it escapes from the chamber I8. In this manner all parts of the diifusor are maintained at a temperature above 32 F., there- `by preventing ice particles from adhering to the surface thereof.

An alternate construction of the present invention is shown in Figure 2 in which only the converging or inlet end portion I5 of the diffusor is warmed by the ejector discharge. In this instance a conventional ejector 20 is provided with an extension 2l which conveys discharge fluid from the outlet end I 6 of the ejector into intimate contact with the outer surface of the inlet end portion of the diffusor I4. To this end, the portion of the extension 2| which is adapted to receive the fluid as it is discharged from the diiusor, is U-shaped and the intermediate portion of the extension is substantially parallel to the diffusor, Whereas the discharge end portion 22 of the extension 2l forms a steam jacket 23 for the inlet end or converging portion I5 of the diffuser I4.

In order to reduce the radiant heat loss of the fluid flowing through the ejector, the extension 2l in this instance and the housing I'I in the lirst case, are encased by an insulating material 2li, thus maximizing the amount of heat available in the discharge fluid to warm the diffuser.

It is now obvious from the previous discussion that the present invention provides an ejector which is simple in construction and capable of eflicient operation under icing conditions without the aid of an auxiliary or supplementary source of heat.

Iclaim:

1. A steam ejector adapted to operate at or below the freezing pressure of Water comprising a casing having an inlet and a diffusor, a nozzle for introducing propelling steam into said cas- A ing, a closed housing entirely enclosing said dif- 'fusor throughout its length and extending .beyond ing and diffusor to receive the discharge of the ejector, and a discharge opening for said housing.

2. In a thermo-compressor, a casing having an inlet and a difusor arranged to define a continuous `passage through the compressor for the uid to be pumped, a nozzle in the inlet for directing propelling fluid into the diffuser, a housing the downstream end portion of Whchpencases the upstream end portion of the diffusor to form a chamber therearound, the upstream l0 end of the housing being of at least the same diameter and coaxial with the downstream end.`

of the diffuser to receive the entire discharge of the diusor and conduct such discharge to said chamber, and an outlet for the housing at the downstream end portion thereof.

JOHN F. PLUMMER, JR.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

